Indian filter coffee

Indian filter coffee is a traditional beverage, popular in the southern regions of India. It is made by mixing frothed and boiled milk with the decoction obtained by brewing finely ground coffee powder in a traditional Indian filter. The drink is also known as kaapi, which is the South Indian phonetic rendering of "coffee". The beverage is served in a tumbler with a dabarah, which is a wide metal saucer with lipped walls.

History

Indian filter coffee, especially the variant that has become ubiquitous in the South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, has a long history in India. The coffee culture in India began in the 16th century, due to the Muslim pilgrims and traders who travelled to India from the Middle East. The coffee beans were also grown in the hills of South India where the climate was suitable for its cultivation.

Preparation

The preparation of Indian filter coffee requires a special device known as the Indian coffee filter. It consists of two cylindrical cups, one of which has a pierced bottom that nests into the top of the tumbler, leaving ample room underneath to receive the brewed coffee. The upper cup has two removable parts: a pierced pressing disc with a central stem handle and a covering lid.

The coffee is brewed by placing it into the upper cup, which fits onto the lower cup that collects the brewed coffee. Hot water that has been brought to a boil is then added onto the press and left to drip through the pierced bottom of the upper cup, leading to a strong brew in the lower cup.

The resulting brew is very strong coffee concentrate, and only a portion of this is used in the final cup of coffee. The remaining amount of the coffee is filled with milk that has been brought almost to a boil. Sugar is added according to taste.

Serving

Indian filter coffee is typically served in a traditional tumbler and dabarah, which is essentially a steel cup and saucer with a rim. The coffee is poured from one to the other several times to mix the ingredients, cool it to a sipping temperature, and most importantly to aerate the mix without introducing extra water.

See also

• Coffee culture in India
• Coffee production in India
• Indian tea culture